I operate a JD 1070 and just hitched up my used John Deere -I think the model # 410- rear 3 pt mower to use it for the first time. I has two blades and a gear housing and no belts that I can see. The pto shaft turned and the mower cut for about a half an hour then I accidently backed into a raised dirt pile with the mower running and the pto still turns after that but the blades do not. What should I do to get blades turning again ? There should be something to reset when one runs over an object- It has a gear housing and no belts and pto turns but blades do not. How does one sharpen the two blades ? Thanx-Peter

Peter;
How much of the PTO shaft is still being turned by the tractor. Does the PTO still turn the shaft that goes into the gearbox and the shaft coming out the bottom with the blades doesn't turn? That would mean something has broken, or sheard inside the gearbox, possibly a key sheared internaly. I'm not too familliar with a model 410, mine is a MX 5 Deere and I'm not sure without looking whether mine has a shear pin or a slip clutch. A slip clutch resets it's self after you hit somethnt so it's more likely you have a shear pin somewhere in the drive line before it goes into the gearbox.
So far as sharpening blades, unless they are really beat up it isn't too critical to have the blades real sharp. You have to be carefull sharpening them that you don't disturb the ballance of the rotor, usually the blades are just replaced when they get really beat up.
Frank.

With the PTO off raise the mower, Turn off the tractor. Engage the PTO. Reach under the mower (should put blocks under it just in case lift falls) and try turning a blade being careful not to cut hand.

If the blade turns freely something like Frank has said has sheared or come loose. Could not find a mower by that model number so going from experience only. Not a mower expert but think there may be a belt you are not seeing, there has to be a way to turn both blades and one gear box would surprise me if it was doing both. Now let me ask, when you say two blades you mean two separate blades and not one blade with two cutting edges or as some will call them blades are you? If a rough cut mower that will be the set up and those ends normally are made to pivot in case of striking something real hard like a stump or rock. If that is the mower blade is probably mounted directly to the bottom of the gear box and no belt and hope you have a shear pin that protected it all.

Do you know if a finish mower or rough cut? If rough cut probably has a single wheel in the center rear of the deck, if a finish mower probably has at least two on the rear near the corners and might have two on the front.

Thank you for your responses about my three point mower. It has just one rear wheel on the back of the deck and is about 5 ft in diameter and I belive its a John deere 401 or 410 model. I do not live at my hobby farm but will investigate further this weekend. When I bought the mower used the man explained it should be able to go over rough terrain without damaging the mower possibly and have some sort of re set etc. I will look under mower again but I believe that it does have two seperate blades and a gear box above that then a short shaft then the pto shaft attached to the back of the 3 point. Where would the shear pin be located if I need to replace that ? That's for all your advice I will look over mower this weekend and try out several of your suggestions. I have ten acres about 6 acres to mow and ground uneven in spots. Should I of purchased the rough cut mower or rather a flail mower or a sickle bar mower ? Thanx againn for the advice -Peter

Kirby;
If there is a shear pin it most likely will be just ahead of the shaft that goes into the gearbox from the tractor PTO driveline. Sometimes the shearpin can be somewhat hidden by the shield that should be on the driveshaft from the tractor to the gearbox. If you got an owners manual with the mower it will show you where the shearpin is and what grade of bolt to replace it with.
Did you get the right kind of mower? Most likely yes, the rotary design like you have will of the three you talk about be the most trouble free. I haven't had any experience with small flail mowers, they do a nice job. Bigger bigger flail mowers that I have used have a lot more things to wear out. A sickle mower would likely be faster than a rotary because it would have a wider, usually six or seven ft. cut and can be used at a bit higher ground speed. The down side is that they will have more maintenence and will tend to plug a lot if the grass is wet or any derbris, sticks, old hay, manuer, etc. are in the way.
Frank.

Totally agree with Hardwood on the mower. The one issue on the rough cut it will throw stuff and larger stuff and further than you think it will. Saw a dented car door one throw a large enough piece of stump to dent a car had to be over 50 feet away.

If you have not check the oil in that gear box. You don't want to run it dry. All I have seen have a plug to remove to fill it and another to check the level. Keep the rear wheel also greased both the axle and the pivot. If you are new to using one you want to keep the engine rpms up to the 540 and use the tractor gears to get the ground speed you want, not the throttle.

Thanx again for the responses on my rough cut mower. Is the shear pin and actual pin or a hardened bolt ? Am I correct that it is between the long pto shaft and the gear box. I believe the pto shaft attaches to the spline on the back of the tractor then goes into the gear box then there is a short shaft after the gear box going into the mower housing . I will look underneath mower deck this weekend and see if there are one or two blades . What weight of gear oil in the gearbox ? gear lube about 80w ? Thanx again - new at hobby farming Peter

Any shear "Pin" I've been used to is actually a bolt not a "pin" so to speak. Don't get carried away using a hardened bolt, that is not always called for. An owners manual would do you a bunch of good, they are available thru Deere dealers. A manual would not only tell you what kind of bolt but where it is located and also the gear oil recomendations. I hate to keep guessing about a machine that I'm only mildly familiar with.
Frank.

Kirby, if you are new to using this type of cutter do a little looking on youtube. There can be some videos that you will learn what not to do. Also some that will show what to do. At same time some on there posseing as experts are mostly ex. Buy you a few extra on shear pins or more correctly shear bolts.

Thanx guys for all your responses and help- I will try to contact John Deere dealer tomorrow and look at parts schematic of the mower or get a manual to determine if it's a shear bolt or if it has a slip clutch instead and will look more thouroughly at the mower this weekend. I assume the shear bolt is on the pto shaft and I just pound it out with a punch pin then pound the new one in.
What size farms do you guys have and what type of tractors and implements do you run on them ?
I have 10 acres in western Wisconsin that has not been plowed in almost 40 years- used for horse pasture and ground kinda lumpy and thick with quackgrass etc. I have the 5 ft rough cut mower - a 2-14 plow - and a nine tine cultivator for equipment with my 39 hp JD 1070 tractor. What would be the correct order using the implements to tame that ground into use for raising vegetables ? Mow the ground first - the plow it under - then cultivate it ? Thanx- Peter from Wisconsin